Braves Trade For All-Star Uggla

The Atlanta Braves have made a trade to bolster its offense. The team has acquired power-hitting and All-Star second baseman Dan Uggla from the Florida Marlins. In return, the Braves give up All-Star utility player Omar Infante, and young pitcher Mike Dunn.

Braves general manager Frank Wren says getting more power for the team’s lineup was a key going into this offseason.

“As we went into this offseason, it was a focus of ours to get a big right-handed hitter to put in the middle of our lineup, and when we came out of our meetings in Orlando, Dan Uggla was right at the top of that list.”

Wren says Uggla is under contract through next season, and the Braves would like to talk to him about an extension.

Uggla, 30, is coming off the finest offensive season of his career in 2010, as he established career highs in batting average (.287), home runs (33) and RBIs (105) and earned his first career Silver Slugger award. He ranked fifth the National League in both home runs and RBIs.

Uggla has averaged 31 home runs, 100 runs scored and 93 RBIs per season over his five-year career.

Dunn, 25, appeared in 25 games for the Braves as a rookie in 2010 and went 2-0 with a 1.89 ERA. Infante, 28, hit a career-best .321 in 134 games in 2010, with eight home runs and 47 RBIs.